LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa., Feb. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Air Products (NYSE: APD) and NIPPON STEEL & SUMIKIN Pipeline & Engineering Co. Ltd. (NSPE) today jointly announced the signing of an agreement signifying the intent of the two companies to work together on Japan's developing hydrogen fueling infrastructure market. The agreement also discusses the objective of finalizing a long-term marketing and supply relationship agreement between the U.S. and Tokyo, Japan-based companies.

"This agreement is an important step for both Air Products and NSPE in gaining entrance to Japan's hydrogen fueling market. Japan is being progressive in their intent to develop a hydrogen fueling infrastructure and is one of the early markets where automobile manufacturers have announced plans to deploy vehicles. We are pleased to be working with NSPE and greatly value their engineering and operations expertise, as well as their knowledge of the Japan markets. Combined with our leadership and experience in this field, together we can meet this developing market's needs with proven technology," said Ed Kiczek, global business director – Hydrogen Energy Systems at Air Products. Kiczek added that Air Products has operated in Japan since 1970, and will work through its established wholly-owned subsidiary, Air Products Japan, on hydrogen fueling opportunities.

"We are convinced that this agreement will be a valuable first step for Japan as it heads toward the realization of hydrogen society, as well as for Air Products and NSPE. The Japanese government has been planning to install 100 hydrogen fueling stations by 2015, and also 1,000 by 2025 in the country, aiming at the dissemination of FCVs. We are greatly pleased that the combination of NSPE's technologies and experiences accumulated in the natural gas and LNG sector over many years, and Air Products' unique advanced hydrogen fueling technology will enable us to significantly contribute to the implementation of those targets," said Takashi Takeuchi, managing director – Marketing and Business Development.

As part of the final agreement to be formalized, Air Products will provide SmartFuel® hydrogen fueling station technology and the fueling protocol license, infrastructure engineering and design, while NSPE will provide engineering, construction, and adapt the technology for the Japanese market. NSPE and Air Products Japan will jointly work with customers in the automotive fueling market.

Air Products' SmartFuel® hydrogen fueling stations provide hydrogen fueling at 700 bar (10,000 psi) and include Air Products' patented technology to practice the SAE J2601 fueling protocol. Air Products has available several SmartFuel® fueling station concepts incorporating modular and expandable technology and holds an entire portfolio of global patents, with additional patents pending related to "compressionless hydrogen fueling station" advancements. Details on Air Products' hydrogen fueling station technologies can be viewed at www.airproducts.com/h2energy.

Air Products, the leading global supplier of hydrogen to refineries to assist in producing cleaner burning transportation fuels, has vast experience in the hydrogen fueling industry. In fact, several sites today for certain hydrogen fueling applications are fueling at rates of over 75,000 refills per year. Use of the company's fueling technology is increasing and is over 850,000 hydrogen fills per year. The company has been involved in over 160 hydrogen fueling projects in the United States and 20 countries worldwide. Cars, trucks, vans, buses, scooters, forklifts, locomotives, planes, cell towers, material handling equipment, and even submarines have been fueled with trend-setting Air Products' technologies.

Air Products has more than 50 years of hydrogen experience and an extensive patent portfolio in hydrogen dispensing technology. Air Products provides liquid and gaseous hydrogen and a variety of enabling devices and protocols for fuel dispensing at varied pressures. Hydrogen for these stations can be delivered to a site via truck or pipeline, produced by natural gas reformation, biomass conversion, or by electrolysis, including electrolysis that is solar and wind driven.

About Air ProductsAir Products (NYSE: APD) provides atmospheric, process and specialty gases; performance materials; equipment; and technology. For over 70 years, the company has enabled customers to become more productive, energy efficient and sustainable. Recognized as one of the world's most innovative companies by both Thomson Reuters and Forbes magazine, more than 21,000 employees in over 50 countries supply effective solutions to the energy, environment and emerging markets. These include semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, coal gasification, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives. In fiscal 2013, Air Products had sales of $10.2 billion. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com.

About NIPPON STEEL & SUMIKIN Pipeline & Engineering Co. Ltd. (NSPE)

NSPE, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NIPPON STEEL & SUMIKIN ENGINNERING CO., LTD., which is a segment company of NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION (NSSMC), has been engaged in the engineering business for energy related plants such as various types of pipelines, natural gas and LNG. NSSMC Group has an experience in the construction of hydrogen stations for the 2005 World Exposition, Aichi, Japan. NSPE has been involved in the construction of the major natural gas transmission pipelines in Japan for over 50 years, and also, provided plants such as LNG shipping and receiving facilities. For more information, visit http://www.nspe.nssmc.com.

NOTE: This release may contain forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's reasonable expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release regarding important risk factors. Actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors not anticipated by management, including risk factors described in the Company's Form 10K for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2013.

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